Kids & Nature Blog

I love September. I love the bursting gardens and ripe apple trees. I love the spiders dangling on their webs in the sunlight, snacking on late summer bugs. I love how enormous the wildflowers and grasses - both seeding in this time - are in that last gasp of summer. I also love the excitement of the changing seasons and possibilities of a new school year.

The Wapato Greenway Trail on Sauvie IslandThat sense of abundance and change is one of the many reasons we selected the lesser-known gem, the nature trail at Wapato Greenway State Park on Sauvie Island, as the focus of the September trail packet for the Super Nature Club. Bordered by a river to the south and farms to the north, the setting makes for a special getaway at the start of the school year. As it traces through river bottom woodlands, tall grass meadows, and along both a river and a marshy lake, the trail seems bursting with life at every turn.

At 2.5 miles, this trail is one of the longest we’ve included in our packets, so for families with littler ones we are also providing a shorter option on our scavenger trail. The longer version of the trail is a lollipop loop that offers a few short detours to wildlife and water viewing areas throughout. The shorter version of the trail hits many highlights, including waterfowl viewing areas, a visit to the dock, and two locations to picnic. It travels part of the loop and back.

Both versions of the trail begin along a short path in a river bottom woodlands bordered on both side by wild Himalayan blackberries. After a short walk within this woodlands, you'll arrive to at a junction next to a small grass lawn with a picnic area. The rest of the trail encircles the rich marshland known as Virginia Lake in either direction. Those taking the longer route can go in either direction. Those who want to take the shorter hike should turn left and take the path until it meets a side-trail to the river. The trail ends at a dock where families can take a break before heading back.

Going left at the loop will take you by two waterfowl viewing decks. After these two viewing decks, you’ll find a third short path that will take you to a frog-rich marsh-side spot. After stopping by the dock and river, the longer trail continues around the loop through a river bottom woodlands, another marsh area, a grassy white oak grove, and along side a farm. Finally, after passing by picturesque views of the lake, the trail meets at the junction with the return route.

A Perfect Super Nature AdventuresDucks and frogs are not the only wildlife that make this part of Sauvie Island distinctive. Within the park, you might find red-breasted sapsuckers, yellow warblers, or great blue herons.The grassland part of the trail makes a great habitat for small garter snakes. The river dock is a favorite fishing spot. The woods is home to spiders and snails. The river bottom habitat also makes this a great place to search for dragonflies and damselflies, as well as late season bees, spiders, butterflies, and moths.

Wapato is a very special place for kids because it offers so so many places for kids to spy nature up close. The trail also rewards those who stop to listen. At the lake, you can hear frogs. In the grasses you can often hear the snakes slither into grass (and away from you!) as you pass through trail. A 1996 flood marker offers the chance to talk to kids about how the forces of nature shape our local landscape. Exploring this trail gives families a chance to talk about Portland's river habitats.

As always, our packets include a scavenger hunt map, activity field guide, and Super Nature Adventures code of the trail that are designed to make your experience with this park extra special. For this packet, our field guide focuses especially on wetland habitats. We have also made material to explore distinctive features of the trail, such as oak apple galls, frogs, and wetland snakes.

And if you want some company on your adventures, we'd love to have you at our free group hike on Saturday, Sept 9. ~ Bryna